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I'm with Beloz, I HATE dogs crowding the gate too. Our park doesn't have double gates, just the one, and dogs are forever getting out because they barge through when somebody tries to come in. My dogs are very friendly but still refuse to walk in the gate if there are dogs crowding, it is intimidating for them. We always wait for the dogs to go away or for the owners to come and move them away... My dogs are always called away from the gate when a new dog enters, and are not given permission to say hello until everyone else says hello and moves on.. I don't want the dog getting crowded, scared and snappy.

There is a huge difference in the intimidation level of a rotti, gsd etc and some small dogs - it's stupid to think that it's not. Beloz did nothing wrong, I would have done the exact same thing. There is also a difference between polite sniffing and shove-the-nose-right-up-there sniffing which a lot of dogs hate- mine included, Meika will usually growl and run away and Molly will just roll straight over, but they are both capable of happy meeting dogs provided that the other dogs have basic manners and are under control of their owners.

I can't understand why a friendly dog coming over to say hello is such a problem for people? Whilst my dog park doesn't have fences and gates, most dogs moving through say hello to each other with a friendly sniff of the bum and a sniff underneath. The dogs that I see as problematic are those which are not dog friendly i.e they snarl and bare teeth and generally show their displeasure at the other dogs being there. Those are the dogs that I question "why the hell do you bring a dog like that to an offleash dog park?"

As a rottie and GSD owner, i am fully aware of the intimidation factor of 2 such stereotypical breeds. And because of this, will always put my dogs on leash, around other dog owners. For their peace of mind, not mine.

Here is why: when owners are anxious, they do stupid things, send stupid signals to their previously friendly dog, that changes the outcome of the greeting. They move between their dog, and mine, so their dog is forced to gaurd by moving in too close to place itself between owner and perceived threat, my dog. Its all rather crowded, and aussie women with dogs LOVE to scream and sound like injured animals, (very attractive to aggressive dogs i can tell you!) for some reason in a crisis.

A friendly dog sniffing.
There is sniffing, and sniffing. And shoving your nose right up there, is aggressive. Bernie does this greeting when pups arrive, shoves them off their tiny feet with the force of the 'move that leg so i can sniff' shove. Often he will knock a dog over doing this. It him, being a plonker, setting the rules, im boss, defer to me and you can stay. Front up when i shove you all over the place with my big nose, and that's an excuse to pin you down, step 2 of my, Im the boss routine.

Polite sniffing = ok, rude shoving sniff's = a telling off. I seriously believe there is a difference.
And large dogs, who are not aggressive (bernie), do use their size to intimidate however.

And then totally non aggressive pohm, will steal others dogs and take them home. so you have to watch her! And telling a distraught owner, that their pup is going to be fine, and she'll of put it to bed, is not real convincing, till they see their pup, safe n sound in her bed where's she's taken the pup. And distressed owner is usually crying, screaming at me. And my GSD is watching, very closely at this point!

I hate dog parks because most people there are a bunch of tosses who no nothing about my dog and just judge him by his looks and not by his nature.
He has never started a fight or bullied another dog, he just loves to run and have fun with the bigger dogs, yet they keep telling me to watch him he could turn.
We have chocks and he wonders around the yard with them, and he has never hurt or chased them. Dog parks are for fluff balls who want to show off there latest hair(fur) do!
Peace out people...................lol